The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-07-12
Gh b Q|l;'t,!tl:e,|!ll,liiqft'|r,tlfI',5;;:
once, Nos. 20 and 81 rourteon.h street. :
TIE DRINK EVIL.

1891 LII I'M ~ II Il liz I4hs
Ex.sseretnry windom's sons ibis Views on
the Prohibition Question.
Rtss York Tribune ~. .gi u N
Ex.Secretary WINDOWS address at the
Woodstock celebration on "rhe Saloon
In Politics" was distinguished by a practi-
cal good Bense and gobriety Of judgment
which II would be we'll II all temperance
advocates could initiate. The essence Of
bis address war the expression Of opinion
as to the best means OF opposing and over.
coming the Influence Of the saloon In pol.
tiles, and here the line Of demarkation be.
tween practicability and impracticability
Is clearly and sharply drawn. Mr.. VIM
dom holds, with all thinkers on the sub
iect not biBse0 by prncommittsl to q rigid
and iuelastic policy, that the most effect
Two way 10 meet the drink evil iB 10 adopt
the remedial agencies to local conditions,
thus utilizing TO the utmost the temper.
ance sentiment everywhere. The differ.
ence between this policy and that OF the
PIohibitionists is radical, The latter in.
eist upon total abstinence, and because
they will not accept partial gains where
sweeping eucceNs Ia out OF tho question,
they frequently lay themselves open to
the accusation OF practically supporting
the evil against which they are organized.
This accusation always angeta them, but
1t in certainly not Il slanderous one, for 1t
often happens that their refusal to holp or
cooperate with those who seek progress
Of my kind has tho direct effect OF In
trenching the rum power. ,s7 lS
To take the Prohibition position is In
fact to Say that there shall be no gradual
approach to temperance reform, but that
where the enforcement oil total abstinence
is not possible (as In Ill large citiss) there
shall be no interference with the drink
evil. Now Mr.. Window, being Bensible
aud clearsighted man, sees that this can.
not be the best way TO bring about the |
temperance education Of the people; and !
he perceives that II real progress Is to be
made a much more elastic and adaptive |
policy will have to bo introduced. The |
Prohihitionists, as Is evident, make no
in the great political centres.
They rouse antagonism, but they gain
low converts in Huch places. Where tent
peranco views are already largely held, ae
in the country, they obtain many recruits.
But precisely where missionary work Is
most needed they fail altogether. One
plain reason for this Is their absolute re-.
'ueal to take half loaf as the alternative
With no bread. II they, were willing to
accept such city gains as are practicable,
and would work with those who desire to
Introduce feasible reforms, they would
,oon find that each step forward made
[urther advance easier. But it is only by
adopting the elastic policy indicated by
Mr.. Window land long ago advocated by
The 1riJune) that this can be accom-.
pliahed, and there ia only one political or.
,anization in the country-namely, the
parsy-through which the
work can be done. F'T
High license with local option practice
ally covers the ground. Where one will
not apply the other will. The first for the
cities, the second for the country, small
towns and villagea, offers each in It's turn
the policy best adapted to existing condi-
lions. Prohibition cannot, at least as yet,
conquer appetite in cities. It has failed
10 do so even in tho large cities OF Maine
VhS2S AZ 4Ass0 bhA&by oA4c opportunity W
demonstrate It's powers. After full gen.
Grafton Of trial 1t is being asserted by ci,i-
zens Of Bangor, for example, that the law
is not and cannot be enforced there. But |
high license eau be enforced, aud it pro-
duces distinctly good effects, restricting
the evil, cu1bing it, and forcing 1t to re-
pair some ct least OF the mischief it en-
genders. ALI the sound arguments, all the
practical considerations, appear in fact |
to be on the side Of the elastic policy OF |
high licenge and local option, and that ia |
the policy which the Republican anti.sa-
loon movement aims at applying. The
fact, moreover, that nearly all the chief
gains Of Prohibition have been made in |
the country districts, and that for all psac.
teal purposes the cities are still nearly |
everywhere an untouched field, seems to |
warrant the conclusion that the Prohibi.
tionists will eventually be compelled to
come over to this line Of action, as the
sole alternative with failure in lull half
their work. When that time comes they |
will find also that the Republican party is
the only one they can work with, and that |
iB in sympathy with their objects.